Prince and Paris Jackson Make Surprise Appearance; Honor Late Dad Michael Jackson at Tony Awards

The King of Pop's children are all grown up. Paris and Prince Jackson, the kids of the late great Michael Jackson, honored their famous dad during the 2022 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 12, according to a report by the New York Post.

Paris and Prince took the stage at Radio City Music Hall, presenting a performance by the cast of "MJ: The Musical," which depicted a major part of their dad's life and was nominated for the top award.

Prince, 25, and Paris, 24, reaffirmed their father's love of musicals in a rare appearance celebrating the music icon. 

"A lot of people seem to think our dad Michael Jackson changed popular music forever and who are we to disagree," said Prince.

Prince shares the King of Pop's love for musicals

The King of Pop's oldest son shared new tidbits about his father in his speech, saying, "But what people may not know is he loved musicals, on film and on the stage. That's why we are so incredibly honored to introduce the night's first nominee for best musical, 'MJ,' which, using many of his iconic hits, looks at the complexities and brilliance of our father's process."

"MJ: The Musical" shows Michael's life during his memorable "Dangerous" tour. It has been nominated for 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Actor. It features over 25 of the legendary singer's biggest hits. The musical is directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon with a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage. The producer of the musical is The Estate of Michael Jackson.

According to a press release, MJ: The Musical goes beyond the star's singular moves and signature sound. It offers a rare look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Michael Jackson into legendary status.

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King of Pop instilled strong work ethic in his kids

Paris recently revealed that the King of Pop instilled a strong work ethic and eclectic music taste in his children. Paris said in an interview that her dad was really good about making sure they were cultured and educated.

She added that growing up, it was about earning stuff, and if they wanted five toys from FAO Schwarz or Toys R Us, they had to read five books. Paris said, "It's earning it, not just being entitled to certain things or thinking, 'Oh, I got this.' It's like working for it, working hard for it - it's, it's something else entirely. It's an accomplishment."

According to People magazine, Paris was hugging performer Myles Frost at the event, who stars as her father in MJ: The Musical. Frost impressed in that role and was nominated for best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical. She also posed for pictures with her brother on the red carpet ahead of the awards ceremony.

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